Is the remake better than the original?
Thats a question of taste.
The concern is whether or not the new camera setup makes the game scarier or not.
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In other words, I prefer the remakes OTS view over the originals semi-fixed camera.
This is disorienting in a bad way.
Outside of this, however, the new gameplay features are all wonderful.
Combat feels more visceral, and environments are way more fun to explore.
Even subtle new features afforded by current-gen hardware add a ton to the experience.
Speaking of ol Pyramid Head, my favorite gameplay change has to be the overhauled boss fights.
In the original, you make a run at take him down while navigating hanging, butchered bovine carcasses.
Its a markedly better boss fight than in the original.
The thing about horror games is, its difficult to compartmentalize visuals and gameplay when discussing them.
In other words, theSilent Hill 2remakes updated visuals arent simply cosmetic; theyre consequential.
The point isnt that the leggy abominations leaping at you in those dark hallways are rendered better.
I say most because one thing I prefer about the look of the original game is its overall grittiness.
Theres something about the lo-fi, pixelatedPS2look that lends itself to that games demonic, almost found-footage aesthetic.
Even today, the original games visuals still really work because the graphics look sort of digi-haunted and grimy.
The remakes visuals lack that sandpapery grit.
But this isnt a bad thingits just different.
As scary as the games visuals are, the sound is where all of the horror magic happens.
Hell, these new cutscenes are so terrific, they blow scenes other modern games out of the water.
First of all, there are the redesigned character models and animationsthey look phenomenal.
Lets go back to the encounter with Eddie in the meat locker.
before muttering to himself, I…I killed a…a human being…A human being…
Even by 2001 standards, this is some B movie-level, melodramatic dialogue.
The original game is an all-time classic, but objectively, the dialogue and voice acting is schlocky.
As in the original, James kills Eddie in the remake, but he doesnt fall to his knees.
He stands over Eddies body, slowly lifts his hands and stares at them in disbelief.
This makes all the difference in the world.
To be clear, I dont mean to knock the original game or unfairly hold it to modern standards.
They couldve whiffed, but they knocked it out of the park.
Silent Hill 2 is out now for PlayStation 5 and PC.
